Auto-top carrier for skis, toboggans, and like articles



Nov. 20,1951 s, I 2,575,458

AUTO TOP CARRIER FOR SKIS, TOBOGGANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 5, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

'MARCELLUS s. MERRILL BY Mun-#540 V064 QA W ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1951 M. S. MERRILL AUTO TOP CARRIER FOR SKIS, TOBOGGANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 5, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Q Fig-6 IN VEN TOR.

MARCELLUS S. MERRILL PL-f/P gan A TTOR/VEYS Patented Nov. 20, v 1951 AUTO-TOP CARRIER FOR SKIS, TOBOG- GAN S, AND LIKE ARTICLES Marcellus S. Merrill, Denver, Colo. Application December 5, 1946, Serial No. 714,314

This invention relates to automobile-top carriers for skis, toboggans and like articles. The description will be in terms of skis.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for seating a ski carrier upon and securing it to the top of an automobile.

A further object is' to provide improved means for securing skis in an automobile-top carrier.

} A further object is, in such a device, to provide a resilience associated with the means of securing the device to an automobile whereby the danger of accidental disengagement is practically eliminated, while providing for ease of the surfaces of the skis from injury and providing simple and easily and quickly manually-operated means for securing the skis within the carrier and disengaging them therefrom.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

all of which shall more fully hereinafter appear,

the invention comprises certain novel constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts as will now be described and as defined in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a conventional illustrative plan of a fragment of the top of an automobile with two units of the present invention secured thereto and two pairs of skis secured in such units.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 conventionally showing the auto top in section and showing the left end of the top bar disengaged and, in section, a portion of the top bar aligning clamp.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational, fragmentary view of one end of a unit showing in detail the parts there assembled.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation view of the assembly shown at Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 but omitting the top of the auto.

Fig. 6 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 5 and illustrating a modified form of structure at the central portion of a unit.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, on enlarged scale, of the central portion of the structure shown at Fig. 2, showing the aligning clamp in elevation.

Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. 7 but showing a 10 Claims. (01. 224-4a1) further modification of the central structure of "and to be secured in place by end engagements with the drip mold or other projection from or part of the auto available for such engagement. The present commonly-used drip molds provide, presently, the most satisfactory means for such engagement and this description will be in the terms thereof.

A'unit of my invention comprises a main bar I2, preferably provided with a pad I3 of rubber or other suitable padding material to save the bottom surfaces of the skis from damage by contact with the bar I2, which bar is preferably made of spring steel or like material with looped or bent ends I4.

The ends of the loops I4 carry suction-cup brackets I5, which brackets carry suction cups I6, which, through such loops and brackets, suctionally and resiliently seat main bar I2 on the top I0 as illustrated at Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The

central portion of main bar l2 may be resiliently seated on the top II! by means of center spring rod I'I whose bottom end is seated in or carries suction cup I8 upon whose top there is seated coiled spring [9 enclosing rod [1, the top of the spring seating against the under side of bar 12 as at 2!], rod I1 projecting through bar I2 which has a sliding engagement with the rod whereby the central portion of bar I2 is resiliently supported by the cup I8 and the spring I9.

The end portions of bar I2 are provided with clips 2|, of which there are preferably a plurality as shown at Fig. 3, only one being shown at each end at Fig. 2.v For engaging each end of the bar to the auto, I provide a hook 22 adapted to engage the drip mold II as illustrated at Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and link the hook to one of the clips 2I by means of a spring-loop-link 23, a link block 24, preferably of solid rubber or like material, and a link 25 adapted to engage one of the clips 2|, as shown at Figs. 2 and 3. It will be understood that the connection of each of the elements 22, 23, 24 and 25 with the other permits an interrelative hinge movement of such interconnected elements so that in effect they form a block chain for releasably securing the bar I2, through one of the clips 2|, to the drip mold I I. The link 24, being of rubber or like material, affords some resiliency to the chain as does also the springlOOp-link 23. The plurality of clips 2i affords a considerable adjustability according to varying heights of tops I0 above the molds II. Further adjustability for this purpose is ailorded by the standard make of closed auto with a tightness, but with a resilience, that insures against accidental disengagement, by vibration, jolting, wind pressure or otherwise, but facilitates manual disengagement When desired.

Having described the base portion of a unit of my invention I shall now describe that portion which clamps the ski to the base. For this purpose I provide a top bar 26 mounted for'vertical sliding on the rod I1 and which may be spaced auto as illustrated atFig. 1.

from bar 21-2 by a suitable bushing :21. The later described pads will usually sufliciently :provide spacing of the bars without the bushing. The top bar is held in line with bar l2 by an inverted U-shaped clamp 28 which seat :OYQI irod 1;! and upon the top of top bar 26 with the :sides'of "the U clamp projecting downwardly and. engaging ,the sides of both bottom and top bars and thereby holding the top bar aligned --with the bottom bar.

Seated upon clamp 28 and encircling rodJfI is coiled spring 29 which is seated at its upper end against adjustment nut .30 .onthe top, threaded,

such, for example, as sponge rubber. Tlfheends .of'bar26 are provided with suitable means, such as hooks 32, to engage link 33,.pivoted tolatchsl which is pivoted, as at 35, toa lug 136 onjbar 12, forming a toggle fastener, whereby, when the upwardly curved end of bar 26 is depressed to the position shown at the right at Fig. 2 and link '33 is seated in hook 32 andlatch34 is depressed to the position shown at Fig. 3 and atthe right at Fig. 2, the end of bar 26 will be locked in said depressed. position.

In operation the base is seatedon thetop of the auto, link 25 is engaged with the appropriateclip 21 and the end of bar l2'is manually depressed sufficiently to bring hook22 into engagement with the drip mold I i, whereupon the downwardpressure on the end of bar I2 is released andthe resilience of bar i2 and its looped end, the resilience of links 23 and 24 and of cups [6, draws .and maintains hook 22 into secure engagement with mold I. This operation is, of course, performed with both ends of bar l2, whereuponthe unitis securely, .but resiliently, seated upon and secured to the top I 6. Two units are thus'secured tothe Theskis4tolb'e carried are then laid on the pads l3 as indicated at 'S,Fig. 2, and the top bar is depressed andfastened in position shown at the right at'lFig'. .12 where it will be noted that the skis sink intoand are partially encased by the padfl3l so thatthey are secured in position for carrying without danger of injury to their surfaces or ,changep their position.

A modified structure of the central assembly is illustrated at Fig. 6 wherein bar I2, pad l3, rod I1, cup l8, springs l9 and 29, nut 30 and pad! are the same as in the embodiment illustrated in the other figures and heretofore described.

In this modified form top bars 3lhave. their inner ends hinged at .38 to the upper terminipf a U-shaped member 39 seated on loan f2 andha-ving its base engaged with rodfl and ,adaptedjfor sliding vertically thereon. Depending llips .39a

have a sliding fit along the edges jo'f bar [2.

Bushing 21 and clamp.28 are therebyeliminated, the hinge mounting and lips 39a .maintaining alignment ofbars .31 with bar 12. QT-heresilience of .bar [2, spring '29 and padeSIpeI-mit the engagement. of hook 32 with link33 inj'thisleriibodi- 75 :depression. into substantial alignment. with, .,a nd

' tance.

At Fig. 8 I have illustrateda further modificaationofthe central structure of a. unit'pf my invention. In this construction the cup I8 and .spring H! are eliminated and the central portion of main bar I2 is made stronger, by increasedthickness 'or other appropriate means, to

andtitsshaft upstanding through bars 12 and 26 and carrying spring 29 and nut 30, the same as the embodiment firstdescribed. While Fig. 8 illustrates single top bar'26 it will be obvious that asthe only difference between the Fig. 8 embodiment and those previousl described that cup 18, spring .19 and the lower part of rod 11 are eliminatedand bolt head 40a substituted and mainbar l2 strengthened, these changes may be niade with .the'hinged top bar embodiment, illus- 'trated atFig. 6, as well as with the previously described and illustrated single top bar construction.

It will be understood that with all embodiments the spring 29 permits any upward movementso'f the top bars, relative to the mainbar 12, which may be required in order to accommodate any thickness of skis, 'toboggans, etc. which are clamped in the carrier, suitable adjustment of nut30 being made.

It will be noted that, as illustrated at the left at Fig. 2, the top bars normally curve upwardly, thus opening the space between thepads l3 and 3| so that the user'can, with one hand,'lay.the skis on the pads l3 oftwo units simultaneously at the appropriate position as there illustrated. Then still using only one hand, he can pulldown the end of the top bar, flip link 33 into hook 32 and depress latch 34, thus'locking the skis in position as shown at the right at Fig. 2. As the user frequentlyhas to place the skispin the carrier when standing on ground that is icy or snow covered, requiring the use of one hand with which 'to steady himself, this single hand operation in placing and locking the skis is of great impor- It will be seen from the foregoing description and the illustrations that thiscarrier, when in closed, carrying position, conforms to thetop of the auto, presents a minimum of wind resistance,

Moreover all operations of engagement and disengagement may be performedmanually and with'the utmost ease and speed.

While I have illustrated in the drawing and *hereindescribed manydetails of construction, al-

ternative and equivalent structureswill readily "occur to those skilled .in'the art, and--which;are

within the spirit-and scope of the foregoing disclosure and the appended claims, and ,I am not *to be limited in-my protection to such illustrated and described details. Y

j I claim:

1. An. auto-top ski carrierunit comprising ,a

base .baran'd-a top bar structure, intere'ngag'ed 'at'their central portions, means for. seatingthe automobile, the end portions pithe top bar strucbase bar on and engaging it to the top .of.an

separated 1 from. the base bar, the .top". bar, being resilient and being thereby, adaptedjfon manual adjacent to, the base bar and means for releasably securing the top bar ends in said depressed adjacent position.

2. An auto top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged resiliently at their central portions, means for resiliently seating the base bar on and resiliently securing it to the top of an automobile, the ends of the top bar structure being normally spaced above and away from the base bar but adapted for manual depression toward and releasable securing to the ends of the base bar.

3. In a device as defined in claim 2, the means for resiliently securing the base bar to the auto top including suction cups carried by resilient means beneath the bar and adapted to seat upon and engage the top of the auto and chains, including resilient elements engaged at one end to said resilient cup-carrying means and, at their other ends, to the side of the auto.

4. An auto top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged at their central portions, means for seating the base bar on and engaging it to the top of an automobile, the ends ofthe top bar structure being adapted to normally position themselves above and separated from the base bar, but adapted for manual depression into substantial alignment with, and adjacent to, the base bar, and means for releasably securing the top bar ends in said depressed adjacent position, said central interengagement of the base bar and top bar structure comprising a rod, the base bar and top bar structure being mounted on said rod at their longitudinal centers, the top bar structure being vertically slidable along the rod, adjustment means at the top of the rod and a resilient member carried by the rod and bearing against the adjustment means and the top bar structure.

5. An auto top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged at their central portions, the ends of the base bar being looped,

the loops carrying resilient suction cups adapted to seat on the top of an automobile, means for engaging the base bar to the top of an automobile, the ends of the top bar structure being adapted to normally position themselves above and separated from the base bar, but adapted for manual depression into substantial alignment with, and adjacent to, the base bar and means for releasably securing the top bar ends in said depressed adjacent position.

6. An auto-top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged at their central portions, means for seating the base bar and engaging it to the top of an automobile, a suction cup adapted for seating on the automobile top, a rod whose lower end is engaged to the top of the cup and which extends upward and slidingly through the base bar at its center portion, a resilient member associated with said rod and adapted to resiliently resist the movement of the bar toward the cup, the ends of the top bar structure being adapted to normally position themselves above and separated from the base bar, but adapted for manual depression into substantial alignment with, and adjacent to, the base bar and means for releasably securing the top bar ends in said depressed adjacent position.

7. An auto-top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged at their central portions, means for seating the base bar on and engaging it to the top of an automobile, the top bar structure comprising two bars each hinged at one end to the central interengaging means for vertical swinging of the bars on the hinge and means for holding said bars aligned, vertically, with the base bar, the ends of the top bar structure being adapted to normally position themselves above and separated from the base bar, but adapted for manual depression into substantial alignment with, and adjacent to, the base bar and means for releasably securing the top bar ends in said depressed adjacent position.

8. An auto top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged resiliently at their central portions, said central interengaging means including a member on which the top bar structure is vertically slidable and resilient means associated with said member and adapted to normally hold the central part of said top bar structure in close proximity to said base bar, means for resiliently seating the base bar on and resiliently securing it to the top of an automobile, the ends of the top bar structure being normally spaced above and away from the base bar but adapted for manual depression toward and releasably securing to the ends of the base bar.

9. An auto top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar and a top bar structure, at least one of which is resilient, interengaged resiliently at their central portions, the ends of the top bar structure being normally spaced above and away from the base bar but adapted for manual depression toward and releasably securing to the ends of the base bar, means for resiliently securing the base bar to the top of an automobile, and means for resiliently seating the base bar on the auto top comprising looped ends of said base bar, brackets carried by said looped ends and extending outwardly on each side of the bar and suction cups carried by each end of each bracket.

10. An auto top ski carrier unit comprising a base bar, means for seating the base bar on and engaging it to the top of an automobile, an arcuately-bowed resilient top bar centrally connected with and above the base bar in substantial alignment therewith, the bowed ends curving upwardly away from the base bar, each bowed end being adapted for manual depression to a position adjacent the base bar, and means for releasably securing the top bar ends in said depressed adjacent position.

MARCELLUS S. MERRILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,222,458 Peterson Apr. 10, 1917 1,260,075 Shaw Mar. 19, 1918 2,171,053 White et a1 Aug. '29, 1939 2,173,953 Schwisow Sept. 26, 1939 2,268,958 Parten et al. Jan. 6, 1942 2,315,387 Bambenek et a1. Mar. 30, 1943 2,434,826 Wubben Jan. 20, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 317,704 Italy May 19, 1934 782,775 France Mar. 25, 1935 814,207 France Mar. 15, 1937 835,488 France Sept. 26, 1938 

